Solano Park is located in the southeast corner of the main UC Davis campus, just off the northeast end of the Arboretum, and is one of two apartment complexes primarily for regularly enrolled students with children; the other complex is Orchard Park. Solano Park offers very basic yet affordable one- and two-bedroom apartment (462 and 632 square feet, respectively) living in a surprisingly community-minded environment. Includes lots of lawns, trees, a couple of playgrounds for children, a community center, and gardens.

Leases at both Solano and Orchard Parks run August 1-July 31 and include both Internet access and basic cable television through Student Housing; lease commitments from residents are typically requested in April because so many graduating students have ceremonies in May/June or leave for vacation immediate after finishing classes. Because the rent is low for Davis, there's a long waiting list to sign a lease and the list is prioritized in the following order; occasionally prospective tenants may be lucky enough to sign a lease within days.

Because of the number of watchful parents in Solano Park, it used to be one of the safest places to live in Davis. Unfortunately, there have been a number of thefts and even a break-in recently, despite the Neighborhood Watch signs and stickers all around the complex. The only traffic through the area is people trying to get to 17 Arboretum Drive and the Nishi Property. On the flip side, other than the sound of children playing, noise is not tolerated at Solano Park (but this is a good thing, depending on who you ask). Despite this, there is an unavoidable and thunderously loud noise created whenever a train passes along the tracks on the eastern edge of the apartments. Every train that passes Solano Park blows its horn several times on the way by, at all hours. Railroads are required by law to sound horns in advance of all crossings for safety reasons. Still, some parents find this irritating when trying to keep kids asleep at night. Expect to hear and often feel trains passing regularly on the southern or eastern sides of the complex.

Still, both Solano and Orchard Parks are two of the most diverse communities you'll find in Davis. Most of its tenants are international students with children, and the community is exceptionally vibrant and supportive. Student Housing employs a handful of residents from each of the parks as Resident Assistants who help police the community, provide after-hours assistance to residents, and help organize community events such as ESL classes, children's activities, submit articles for a community newsletter. The community garden is managed by the resident volunteers.

Construction on Solano Park was completed in 1962, but persistent maintenance and upgrades hide its age. A 1967 aerial photo of the apartment complex and central campus is here. However, all things good things must come to an end. In 2014, residents of Orchard Park will be moved into Solano Park. Orchard Park will be replaced with newer graduate student housing. The residents of Solano Park will then be moved into the replacement, and Solano Park will be no more, in July 2016. When the consolidation takes place, there will likely be few new leases offered, so if you're interested in living in Solano or Orchard Park, you should try to move in soon.

If you are concerned about the increased rent costs for Orchard Park, and the lack of plans to rebuilt Solano Park as student family housing, visit Save the Parks. Administrative information can be found at Parks Redevelopment

Photos

Three-story building of one bedroom apartments. Notice, extending towards the left, the wrap-around porches with large sliding glass doors. View of two-story buildings (two bedroom apartments) from a third floor balcony One of the playgrounds A newer photo of a 3-story building showing the complex's current color scheme (Sept. 2005).

Comments:

2005-09-22 22:04:20 Has anybody tried using Vonage or AT&T CallVantage or something similar at Solano Park? For me it's cheaper than getting a SBC traditional phone subscription. —AllenDahili

2005-10-25 20:17:12 The Internet in Solano Park is just about the fastest connection I've ever seen. Sometimes I wish I had time for gaming. —RoyWright

2006-11-15 16:06:58 I've lived here for 2 month, everything is great except noise, so I write this comment to help other people know better of its pros and cons. Pros : great maintenance, UCD DSL, free cable TV, big balcony, clean apartment. Cons: NOISE, we have a 1 br on the second floor of 3-story building, well, you can hear everything above and below, when they walk above, when they use their toilettes, when they slams their doors...Besides, the highway and the Amtrak are very close to the complex too. Well, all of them, it's just horrible. And I am pretty much a noise-sensitive person and it drives me crazy b/c if your neighbors sleep at 3 am or get up at 6 am, you will be completely disturbed. Well I hope this can help others know better about this complex . Not like us, coz we just regretted so much our previous apartment and right now we are looking for a new one. —XuxuHour

Actually the internet is significantly better than DSL. I dread the day we have to move out. We live in a top-floor apartment, so I don't know about that kind of noise, but I've mostly gotten used to the trains. Mostly. —RoyWright

Internet speeds are some of the fastest in the nation. A completely QUIET neighborhood. Dead-quiet on Friday and Saturday nights. True, you can hear through the floors, but no one plays loud stereos.. The fact is that these apartments are filled mostly by hard working graduate students..graduate student's who no longer make it their priority to toke and shotgun beers all night long. Also, if you have children there is no better place in Davis. —JoshuaLee

2007-10-23 12:24:26 They are cutting down most, if not all, of the the large, old (30+ y.o.) shade trees here. The wasps and various creatures that were living in those trees are migrating to our porches at the moment. On top of this, it gets hot in Davis, REAL hot and these huge trees were what kept most of the sunlight from hitting the apartments, so the A/C will be running extra long next summer, up goes the electric bill. Also, because the train hit a truck on the railroad crossing here recently, they are now blasting their horns as they pass all the way by the complex (extra loud, extra annoying).

Without large trees this place looks (is) terrible. Residents weren't even consulted - typical Davis. The only thing good here is most of the neighbors, otherwise looking forward to moving out. —D

It is not the city who manages this complex, I believe its the University. They did not give any reason for the cut downs? -JamesSchwab

The Parks management stated that the trees are being cut down because of dangerous "splits." Since these trees are so old, and have not been properly cared for, there is apparently the danger of huge branches breaking off and hitting people. I agree, though: It really sucks. The character of the grounds has been totally changed, and there is the heat factor. —KendraSmith

Given the number of massive branches laying all over Solano Park after the storm yesterday (January 3, 2008), maybe the management has a point... —RoyWright

2007-10-23 13:03:42 The rent has just been increased to $595.00 for a single room apartment, which is lower than most places around town, but still very high for what you are given, in my opinion. I don't know how much it is for a two bedroom now, but I'm sure it's just as depressing. The units are very spartan, old and dark. My floor creaks and sinks with every single step, and the walls are very, very thin. There is no hood above your oven, or garbage disposal or dishwaher (there are hookups for a dishwasher, though.) No washer or dryer, but the units have a couple of community laundry rooms spread about the complex. Check out how close the units are to the train tracks, using google maps. If you are sensitive to noise, this is not the place for you. The trains have to blair their horns long and loud due to a recent truck accident, and they come by at all hours of the day and night. My unit shakes with the passage of the heavy freight trains, and the noise is often so great that you can't hear the TV, Phone calls to mum, etc. IT'S LOUD, LOUD, LOUD!!!!!! The pros are: your neighbors are fellow graduate students. My unit is also free from roaches and mice/rats. I am close to campus, downtown and the arboretum, and have free cable and internet. That's about it. Otherwise its a pain to not have a garbage disposal, to lug the laundry around and get woken up by trains outside the window, etc. —HappyGilmore

2007-12-03 01:35:09 My family and I moved out of here not that long ago, and we really miss it. Funny because when we first moved in (3yrs ago) we hated it. Way too small, no carpet, no dishwasher, no garbage disposal...all of the things we were used to having before. But we grew to love it, and after a few months didn't even notice the train. The close walk to the arboretum and downtown was great. All the neighbors are really nice, and it is a great place for kids. And yes, the high speed internet is amazing. If you are trying to save money/on a budget, then this is a great place to live since internet/cable is free and rent is really cheap. We lived downstairs and had no problems with noise, but I guess we were just lucky with quiet neighbors. Great activities for children. The landscaping and trees are so pretty there in the spring. Oh, and a community garden. Loved that! —RDN

2008-02-01 14:34:30 I used to live here when I was an undergrad at UC Davis, a real fun place to live. Lots of nice neighbors, many families. The apartments are very small, and you can hear your neighbors through the thin walls. The bathrooms are minimal. But it is cheap and very cozy, close to downtown. When I was there you could have a garden plot. I actually miss living here. when I lived here from 1999-2001 rent for a 2 bdrm was about $600. Looks like it is still a good deal. —DagonJones

2008-02-27 01:22:04 does anybody know the chances of a undergrad with no kids getting an apartment here? —fredchen

2008-02-27 08:12:42 Chances are slim unless you have a roommate whos is a grad or unless its a sublease. —MyaBrn

2008-05-01 22:35:17 A bit of trivia: this part of campus used to be in Solano County but is no longer and sits with the rest in Yolo. There was a county line adjustment back 1992, prior to that everything south of Putah Creek was in Solano. Oh the fun you can have when you work in the county recorder's office... —ChrisRodgers

2008-06-23 11:06:02 How thin are the walls? I ask because I am on the waiting list and have asked for a top floor apartment away from the tracks because I am pretty noise sensitive at night when trying to sleep. Can you hear your neighbors if they are just talking, watching TV, or listening to music at a normal volume? Can you hear your neighbor's baby crying? Also, do the third floor apartments get a lot of loud train noise even if they are on the far side of the park from the tracks, just because of being high up? Thanks for any info. —Bonnie

2008-09-15 10:49:08 In regards to the trees being cut down, I believe that owners of rental facilities do not have to ask their tenants to alter something about their facilities. Campus arborists are cutting the trees because they deem them unsafe. I'm sure residents would rather have unsafe trees removed, than have a tree fall on their car, home, or hit someone walking. —abybabe76

2009-02-22 12:11:06 I am going to be a new grad student starting next fall, and I was curious if the apartments here allow cats? We have a small indoor cat, but I know a lot of campus housing normally does not allow pets. Thanks for the help. —newgrad

2009-03-23 00:39:30 So are animals unofficially allowed in any of the on-campus apartments? We have two small dogs, and have found that many locations at other universities officially prohibit all pets but in practice don't care as long as you keep things clean and neighbors don't complain, but I know some places are strict about that sort of thing. —harvardslacker

2009-06-03 14:56:45 You cannot have cats or dogs officially or unofficially. You can be evicted. —abybabe76

2011-04-12 21:23:45 Does anyone know if you can put in a satellite dish for satellite cable?

Yes, lots of people have dishes on their patio. If it's your intention when you move in, make sure your patio is south facing.. —BrianNeal

2011-05-26 13:32:31 If you are concern about the noise from trains or highway, don't worry. That's nothing compared to the noise it is caused by the landscape services cause. They work on the landscape almost everyday of the week. They do cutting, edging, trimming, blowing, pruning, etc. Every single day of the week. The management doesn't recognize that those activities disturb any study-related activity. They also don't recognize that grad students have academic activities every day of the quarter. It seems that they give a break in those landscape activities during finals week. —eipp

2012-01-27 11:55:38 These apartments are relatively cheap. If you are a student and you are considering moving into here with the expectation of getting some financial aid for the housing, then you are wrong. This place does come under student housing but apparently it is considered off campus. So that means no aid for housing. Before i moved into here, i called the student housing people and the financial aid people asking how much financial aid i will be getting for this place. None of them told me that these apartments are considered family housing or off campus and hence no aid. Neither department knows what is going on with the other. I applied for change in aid and made 15 different phone calls before they told me i won't get aid. This information is not their on either of the websites (student housing or financial aid) and even if you call them and ask them, they will not tell you. This is absolutely ridiculous, they are misguiding students. So before you move in here, be sure you have the information right. Other than that, the place is quite nice with friendly neighbors and definitely has a nice environment. The train noise is awful, but you get used to it. —margaretsingh